Improvement in toy sleds



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H.BROWN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN TOY SLEDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 56,358, dated .luly 17,1866.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. BROWN, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and Improved Toy Sled; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thisspecification.

The drawing represents a perspective view of this invention.

This invention consists in the arrangement of the figure of a horse orother suitable animal with the runners of a sled in such a manner that asled of a novel and interesting appearance is obtained, which will bepreferred by children to sleds of the ordinary form and construction.

It consists, further, in hanging the figure of the horse or other animalto springs formed by the ends of the runners of a sled in such a mannerthat-said horse or other figure is free to accommodate itself to themotions of the rider and a convenient and yielding sled is obtained.

It consists, finally, in combining, with the horse or other figure andwith the sled, a steering device and a brake, the steering device beingoperated by the feet and the brake by pulling a button rising in frontof the saddle, in such a manner that the rider has perfect control overthe motions of the sled without leaving the saddle.

A represents a sled of that class which are generally used by boys forcoasting or going down over the slope of a hill. The runners B of thissled are made to turn up in the form of C-sprin gs, and from their endsis suspended a horse, D. Instead of a horse, however, the figure of anyother animal might be substituted, and said figure might be connected tothe platform of the sled, or it might be combined with the runners B inany other suitable manner besides that shown in the drawing. I prefer tosuspend it from the spring-shaped ends of the runners, however, so as toobtain a yielding seat, which is more comfortable than it would be ifthe horse or other figure should be rigidly attached to the platform ofthe sled or to the runners.

To the rear end of the platform of the sled is connected a rudder, E,which is operated by a foot-lever, I pivoted to said platform under thehorse, in a convenient position for the feet of the rider, and saidrudder also serves as a brake, which purpose is accomplished by hangingthe same in such a manner that it has a double 1notion-one by turning itso that it sweeps over the ground and governs the direction in which thesled is to run, and one by turning its point down on the ground, so thatit acts as a brake, whereby the velocity of the sled can be checked orits motion stopped.

The brake is operated by a button which projects from the back of thehorse, in front of the saddle, and which connects by rods cf with therudder E. By raising the button the rear end or point of the rudder isdepressed on the ground and the brake is applied.

By this arrangement a sled is obtained which readily attracts theattention of the public on account of its novel appearance, and which iscomfortablefor the rider, and very easy and convenient in its operation.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Thecombination of the button G, rods 0 f, and rudder E, arranged withthe horse D and sled A, and operating in the manner and for the purposeherein specified.

JOHN H. BRO\VN.

